Craig Silvey’s books permanently removed from WA public school curriculum
Ima Caldwell
Books by Western Australian author Craig Silvey will be permanently removed from the state’s public school curriculum after he pleaded guilty to child exploitation offences.
The WA education minister, Sabine Winton, confirmed a temporary ban on Silvey’s books being used as texts in public school curriculum will now be made permanent. Winton said:
double quotation markThere is absolutely no place in our school system for works authored by someone who has admitted to such serious crimes.
Now that he has pleaded guilty, those texts will not return to the curriculum.
Predatory behaviour against children is abhorrent and has no place in our community, let alone in materials studied by students in our schools.
Winton said students who had already studied the text this year and planned to use it in their literature exams would not be penalised. Schools will also be supported to adjust lesson plans and switch texts.
Updated at 23.41 EDT
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Marine rescue volunteers who died trying to save yachtsman remembered
Two marine rescue volunteers who died while trying to save a yachtsman in peril have been recognised for making the ultimate sacrifice, AAP reports.
Bill Ewen, 78, and Frank Petsch, 62, were officially identified on Wednesday as the Marine Rescue NSW volunteers killed after responding to an in-distress vessel near the South Ballina breakwall in the state’s north on Monday night.
The Ballina locals have been remembered by the close-knit coastal community through floral tributes left at the Marine Rescue tower.
Jihad Dib lays a tribute at the Marine Rescue Centre in Ballina, NSW. Photograph: AAP
The men paid the “ultimate sacrifice”, Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib said.
double quotation markWe saw two much-love and much-valued members of our Marine Rescue family give their lives to try and do the right thing for other people.
Petsch and Ewen were part of a six-person Marine Rescue NSW team deployed to the breakwall after a good Samaritan spotted the yacht in trouble.
But in the face of the 2.5-metre swell and strong winds, their own vessel quickly capsized, ejecting some members of the crew and trapping others underneath its hull.
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Tory Shepherd
People feel safer in Israel than Australia, witness tells inquiry
Witness Dean Cherny told the antisemitism inquiry that he trained in martial arts so that he would be able to protect his family.
“I didn’t want my daughters to have to hide their identities,” he says.
He says since the Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s attacks on Gaza, every time he meets someone he calculates whether to introduce himself as Jewish, and that he is always vigilant about any potential threats when he is in public.
His daughters went to Israel just before the war began and built a “really beautiful” connection to the country.
After 7 October, she asked him:
double quotation markIf Israel is not safe and we’re not safe in Australia, where are we going to go?
Hearing that story, a friend of his offered to let them hide on his farm if it came to that.
“I know people that have moved to Israel because they feel, living in an active war zone, they feel safer than being in Australia,” he says.
Updated at 00.25 EDT
Petra Stock
Dramatic recovery for rooftop solar thanks to battery rebates
Rooftop solar has received a major boost off the back of battery rebates, with record installations across Australia in April.
An additional 437MW of small-scale solar capacity was added last month – the highest month ever, by a large margin – according to the latest data from Green Energy Markets.
Tristan Edis, Green Energy Markets director of analysis and advisory, described the data as “quite staggering”. Not only was there a surge in battery installations, which was expected as a result of the federal government’s Cheaper Home Batteries program, but in solar as well.
It was a “dramatic recovery” for solar installations, he said, which had dipped in late 2024 and early 2025 due to substantial declines in feed-in tariffs.
A worker installs a solar system on a roof in Sydney. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images
Across the country, about a quarter of new installations were replacements, as some families swapped smaller, older solar systems for newer, larger ones.
double quotation markIt used to be that a 10kw system was quite big, and 15kw was massive. And we’re now seeing a significant portion of residential systems in that 15 to 20kw range.
When combined with big batteries, households were able to get more value out of much bigger solar systems, by avoiding high retail prices during peak periods. Electric cars were probably another factor driving larger systems, he said.
David McElrea, Smart Energy Council chief executive, said solar and batteries remained popular because they made economic sense for households.
double quotation markThe price continues to come down, the cost of living goes up.
With the global uncertainty around oil and diesel, it’s very clear why you would want to be energy independent as a household – and as a nation.
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Royal commission hears of failure to address antisemitism at Victorian school
A witness before the antisemitism royal commission earlier, known as AAU, is the mother of the boy mentioned in the museum incident in the previous post.
She says he missed an important Jewish celebration in the aftermath because he was scared for his safety.
She complained to the Victorian education department about the museum incident, which said it would investigate and that the high school would review the incident.
She heard the students and teachers denied the conduct, and wasn’t satisfied with the department’s response. She was later told she wasn’t allowed to know the identity of the students or the teacher, or the consequences they faced due to confidentiality concerns, but that the school had engaged an external educational institution to teach the students about antisemitism.
But AAU says she contacted that institution and they said they hadn’t been engaged.
She tried other ways to seek justice but was frustrated with the process.
Updated at 00.04 EDT
Tory Shepherd
School excursion marred by intimidating incident, antisemitism inquiry hears
Back to the antisemitism royal commission:
On a school excursion, “physically intimidating” older students were circling a younger one saying “free Palestine”, the antisemitism royal commission has heard.
Blake Shaw, a university student who also works at his old school in Melbourne, says he was out at a museum with grade 5 students, some of whom were wearing kippahs, when one was approached by older students from a different school.
“Some other students have come up to him and are saying ‘free Palestine’ to him, getting in his face,” he says, adding that a staff teacher from the older students’ school was dismissive.
Blake Shaw after giving evidence at the Sydney hearings of the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion. Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP
Later the older students said “free Hezbollah”, he says.
Shaw says he told his students not to let it diminish their pride in their Jewishness.
The next year, the same group of students were on a trip to Canberra when someone said ‘heil Hitler’ to two of them while they were in a museum bathroom.
He says he has also dealt with antisemitism on campus including the contested phrase “from the river to the sea”, which he describes as hate speech.
Updated at 00.13 EDT
Craig Silvey’s books permanently removed from WA public school curriculumIma Caldwell
Books by Western Australian author Craig Silvey will be permanently removed from the state’s public school curriculum after he pleaded guilty to child exploitation offences.
The WA education minister, Sabine Winton, confirmed a temporary ban on Silvey’s books being used as texts in public school curriculum will now be made permanent. Winton said:
double quotation markThere is absolutely no place in our school system for works authored by someone who has admitted to such serious crimes.
Now that he has pleaded guilty, those texts will not return to the curriculum.
Predatory behaviour against children is abhorrent and has no place in our community, let alone in materials studied by students in our schools.
Winton said students who had already studied the text this year and planned to use it in their literature exams would not be penalised. Schools will also be supported to adjust lesson plans and switch texts.
Updated at 23.41 EDT
Joe Hinchliffe
Events on Annastacia Palaszczuk’s book tour cancelled
Events on former Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s book tour have been cancelled after her partner was charged with rape.
Palaszczuk launched her book The Politics of Being Me last Monday at the Brisbane Writers festival and held a meet the author event at the Gold Coast three days later.
The following day her partner, prominent Brisbane surgeon Vahid Reza Adib, was charged with three counts of rape, two counts of deprivation of liberty and one count of sexual assault.
A talk Palaszczuk was scheduled to give at the Brolga Theatre in Maryborough on Thursday night is now listed as “cancelled” on the Fraser Coast council website.
The Australian National University confirmed a public conversation between Palaszczuk and one of its political experts had also been cancelled.
A statement released by Adib’s lawyers late Friday said he would “vigorously defend the charges”.
Tasmania appoints third consecutive woman to lead as state’s 30th governor
A former nurse and health advocate has been appointed Tasmania’s 30th governor, the third consecutive woman to hold the role.
Caroline Wells will take over from Barbara Baker AC on 17 June, who has been in the position since 2021.
The governor acts as the King’s representative, and performs constitutional duties, but in recent years has played a more active role than usual amid Tasmania’s political turmoil.
Baker called an early election in 2025 after the Tasmanian premier, Jeremy Rockliff, requested a snap poll when he lost a no-confidence motion in parliament.
Caroline Wells, who has been appointed Tasmania’s 30th governor, at a press conference alongside the premier, Jeremy Rockliff. Photograph: Ethan James/AAP
Wells started her working career as a registered nurse in 1985 and has held senior positions across the health sector. In 2005, she was appointed chief executive of Diabetes Tasmania and is currently chair of the Royal Flying Doctor Service Tasmania.
Born and raised in Tasmania, Wells is the state’s third female governor, after Baker and her predecessor, Kate Warner AC.
Wells said:
double quotation markThis role is apolitical but very much I keep my finger on the pulse … I’m a great advocate for women in leadership. Supporting women to excel is important. Supporting everyone to excel is important. One of the highlights for me will be connecting with communities. We have so many amazing people in Tasmania doing amazing things.
Wells, a mother of five girls and grandmother of six children, said she wanted to bring compassion and kindness to the role, as well as spruik trade and investment opportunities.
– AAP.
Updated at 00.11 EDT
Tory Shepherd
Royal commission appalled by ‘individual wearing an antisemitic shirt’ outside
As we’re hearing from witnesses at the Bondi royal commission about their experiences with antisemitism, there has been an incident outside.
In a statement, the commission said an “individual wearing an antisemitic shirt” was moved on by police from out the front of the building, where the hearings are taking place.
It added:
double quotation markThe royal commission is appalled that such an item of clothing was worn in the vicinity of our hearing venue.
Safety of witnesses is paramount to the royal commission. We want to reassure witnesses and those wishing to engage with the royal commission that safety protocols are in place.
The royal commission is determined to investigate antisemitism in Australia without fear or intimidation.
Updated at 22.57 EDT
Benita Kolovos
Victoria premier says new lottery deal not the reason for budget surplus
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, denied a new deal with the Lottery Corporation announced the same day as the budget is why the state posted a surplus.
The operator of Powerball and Oz Lotto told the ASX yesterday it received an unprecedented $1.14bn 40-year extension to its Victorian licence, allowing them to keep operating until 2068.
She denied this was the reason the state posted a $700m surplus this year and is forecasting a $1bn surplus next year:
double quotation markNo, we’ve delivered a surplus because we’ve worked hard to take the decisions through this budget process that has prioritised delivery that surplus, prioritised driving down debt as a percentage of the economy.
Victorian premier Jacinta Allan. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP
Asked whether it would’ve been possible to deliver a surplus without the deal, she said:
double quotation markYes. Because we’ve made a set of decisions that focused on delivering a surplus, whilst at the same time recognising that families continue to need to see investment in schools and hospitals.
The Victorian community wants to see more police on the streets. We need to also continue to look at ways to provide real help right now when families are doing it tough.
She said there was a “full and open process” surrounding the deal and that while the licence is much longer than the usual 10-year length, it was in line with other states:
double quotation markNew South Wales has a 40 year term. South Australia has a 40 year term Queensland interestingly has a 65 year term. So based on advice through Treasury processes and within the requirements of the existing contract, there was a review process that was required. It went through a tender process, and we’ve got the best value out of this process for Victorians.